From a photograph by Solomon D. Butcher of four daughters of rancher Joseph M. Chrisman, at their sod house in Custer County, Nebraska. From left to right, Harriet, Elizabeth, Lucie, and Ruth. Photographed in 1886.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

2008 Already?

Time is flying. Are we having fun?

Oh, time is flying by at a rapid rate.

It seems just a year or two ago that Keely, her friend-boy PJ, Isaac, and I spent the New Year's Eve of 2000 together, enjoying a nice free meal at one of Hopkinsville's better restaurants.

I had won a drawing at work for a meal and show at Opryland Hotel in Nashville. Unfortunately, we had a prior commitment on the date of the tickets, but my employer gave me a very generous amount of credit at O'Charlie's in Hopkinsville, instead.

Dennis had to work on New Year's Day and wanted to go to bed early, so I took the kids out to celebrate the New Millenium without him.

I think we all had steaks that night -- at least, I remember that I had a steak and it was very good. After we ate, we went to an open house at the museum and listened to the tolling of the old firehouse bell in honor of the turn of the century.

* * *

Since that night when we passed into the next century and millenium together, my three companions have grown up. Keely graduated from college in December. PJ will soon begin student teaching. Isaac has completed middle school and high school and now is a freshman in college.

During those seven years, there have been many events and changes in my life and within my family.

In my community and my church, babies have been born. Little children have become high schoolers. People have married, changed jobs, moved away, and retired. New constructions have begun; some have been completed and others have stalled. Landmarks have passed into memory, and leaders have come and gone.

And just think of all the national and world events since January 1, 2001. Some of them have affected our lives greatly.

* * *

Suddenly, I feel ... older.

I wasn't done with last year yet, but here we are. The holidays have gone by in a fast blur, and another new year has begun.

The only way I can freeze time is to convert moments to words and put them on paper -- or in our post-modern world, into the computer. I must write every chance I get next year, because time is going by much too quickly. That is my only resolution for 2008.

Well, I do have one other goal. I'm going to try to finish Keely's high school graduation quilt.

IT IS STILL BEST to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasure; and to be cheerful and have courage when things go wrong.(Laura Ingalls Wilder, 1867-1957)